The Peninsula will come alive with parades, chili cookoffs and fireworks today

By Bonnie Eslinger

Daily News Staff Writer

Posted:
07/04/2014 01:00:00 AM PDT

For those who can't or don't want to get away, there'll be plenty of family-friendly Fourth of July activities happening on the Peninsula today.

Redwood City kicks off the nation's independence celebration this morning with its 76th annual Fourth of July parade through the heart of downtown. Thousands of spectators are expected to again line up for the popular procession of floats, bands and community groups -- the biggest on the Peninsula, according to city officials.

The parade starts 10 a.m. at Marshall and Winslow streets, travels along Marshall, Main Street and then Middlefield Road, and ends at Arguello and Alden streets.

In addition to the parade, a festival will take place in the Courthouse Square area from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with arts and crafts, food, beverages and children's activities.

At the day's end, fireworks will be launched from the Port of Redwood City, starting at approximately 9:30 p.m. The port is providing a public viewing area along the waterfront off Seaport Court, with live music starting at 7 p.m.

But there's limited public parking, so once the spots are filled Seaport Boulevard will be closed to vehicle traffic at the Blomquist Street intersection. The street likely will be blocked off as early as 7:30 p.m., according to the city.

The fireworks also will be viewable from Cañada College, which plans to open its parking lots to the public starting at 6:30 p.m.

Advertisement

If you'd rather take part in a parade than watch one, Menlo Park is the place to be. The city invites anyone who wants to stroll along to come with decorated bikes and wagons that show off their red-white-and-blue spirit. The parade down Santa Cruz Avenue starts 11:45 a.m. at the parking lot at Chestnut Street, behind the Wells Fargo Bank, and ends at Burgess Park. Festivities will continue at the park with music, games and food until 2:30 p.m.

If you really want to spice up the day, Palo Alto's annual festival and chili cook-off, now in its 33rd year, should satisfy that craving. Starting at noon in Mitchell Park, the festivities also will feature live music, food and beverage vendors, and a children's area with a bounce house.

Chili tasting starts at 1:30 p.m., with five tastes for $5. To cool down, there will be an ice cream sampling, with local shops such as CREAM, Tin Pot Creamery and Green Girl Bakery vying for local bragging rights.

And soccer fans won't have to miss the World Cup, which will be streamed live on a big screen at the park starting at 1 p.m. In addition to parking at Mitchell Park, spaces will be available two blocks away at the Cubberley Community Center.

And if you'd like to catch the firework display put on at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View without plunking down cash for the venue's San Francisco Symphony show that night, the city will open some spots on its golf course and driving range for the public to watch the sky spectacle.